


not forgotten

by Control_Room



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Families of Choice, Family, Father Figures, Found Family, Gen, Holocaust, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Hope, Jewish Character, Jewish themes written by a jewish author, Loss, Past Character Death, Regret, Remembrance, Shoah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23763616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Control_Room/pseuds/Control_Room
Summary: A beautiful day to remember.
Relationships: Joey Drew & Buddy Lewek
Comments: 11
Kudos: 13





	not forgotten

The air was crisp, the scent of blossoming flowers on the wind.

The ground was solid, the small sprigs of grass budding.

The sky was clear, with a few clouds here and there.

It was a beautiful day.

That was what Buddy felt, what he knew.

Dot stood beside him. Both of their heads were bowed to the slab before them, Daniel murmuring the words of Kaddish, turning a stone over and over in his hand, the coolness of the rock melding with the approaching summer wind. 

He finished the prayer, placing the small simple rock onto the ornate marble one.

Tears blurred his eyes, and he sniffed, smiling shakily. Mr. Drew had spared no expense for the head of the Lewek family. Dot patted Buddy with the umbrella she had been gifted, comforting him. 

“Another year,” Buddy mumbled, still surprised at how fast time ran. “It’s been… really weird without him.”

“It has,” she agreed quietly. “He was a really brilliant man. I can see where you got your genius from.”

The two stood a while longer.

“I have to go,” Dot told him, looking at her watch. “I’ll see you later, Buddy.”

“Okay, Dot,” he nodded, acknowledging her departure. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

Buddy stayed standing. 

A distinctive three legged walk came up behind him. 

“Ho there, Buddy!” Joey smiled at him, though his eyes were sad. They often were sad, but today, they were a present sad, an in the moment sad, and Buddy felt immensely comforted by the sight. Johan took a marvelously polished green and red stone from his pocket, placing it onto the grave. His cane was gripped in his hand, his white hair melting into the puffy clouds above. “Just thought I’d visit an old friend.”

“Friend?” Buddy raised an eyebrow, smiling. He knew Joey called nearly everyone his friend, and his grandfather was no exception. He went ahead to tease his master. “I didn’t know that you knew my grandfather well.”

“Of course I did,” Joey scoffed. “He had the most excellent recipe for dumplings. We exchanged meal ideas a great deal and he was extremely good at riddles.”

“You… you speak polish,” it was not a question, rather a shocked statement. “When… when did you learn it?”

“A while after I learned English and German,” he answered nonchalantly, peering at him over his rose colored half moon glasses. The red eyes behind them were deafeningly sad. “Your eyes are sad, too, you know.”

Buddy blushed, realizing he had spoken aloud.

“C’mere, kid,” Johan sighed, closing his eyes, opening his free arm, the other gripping his cane. Buddy leaned onto his chest, wrapping his arms around the older man. Joey may have been thin, but there was strength in his body, and he hugged Buddy back tightly. “We all miss him.”

“I wish I spent more time with him,” Daniel’s throat tightened. He tried not to cry. He really did. But his tears slipped, and cascaded onto Johan’s shirt. The sun glinted on his pin. It made him cry harder. “He came from somewhere awful. Inhumanly so. A-and I rejected him at first….”

“But you still heard his story,” Joey reminded him, lifting his head, with long but gentle fingers. Buddy’s eyes constantly flicked to the pin on his chest, the rainbow blazing defiantly. “Daniel, look at me.” 

He focused on Mr. Drew’s face. 

“You were and are a child,” he told him softly. “You learned. You spent as much time with him as you could. You even tried to learn polish. You tried, and you loved him as much as any grandson could. He was so proud of you. Every time we would meet, he and I would discuss how much you’ve grown, Daniel. By teaching you, he lives on in you. Do you understand?”

Buddy nodded, smiling shakily. Joey matched the awkward lopsided grin. 

“What do you say I’ll teach you his recipes,” Joey offered. Buddy’s eyes lit up. “And I’ll tell you the parts of his story that he could not f-figure out the words to tell you. What d’you think of that, my boy?”

“I would like that,” Buddy admitted. “I would like that a lot.”

**Author's Note:**

> the reason buddy kept looking at jo's pin is bc lbgt+ people were killed in the holocaust too  
> dont forget


End file.
